SUBSCRIBE for more speakers: / @cambridgeunionsoc1815 Connect with us on: Facebook: / thecambridgeunion Instagram: / cambridgeunion Twitter: / cambridgeunion LinkedIn: / cambridge-union-society
Interviewed him once, he was truly charismatic and charming. Noticing a used ashtray upon the table, I inquired as to whether I might smoke. He responded, "Oh, I'd be practically offended if you didn't, dear..." We ended up having a marvelous conversation while drinking coffee and brandies (at his suggestion...) When his assistant/PA arrived to inform me my allotted time was up, Stephen Fry asked if there were anymore interviews set up following mine? When it became apparent that there were not, Stephen said, " Well, perhaps we might talk some more, I don't think I'm very busy until a little later this evening... Always supposing YOU (meaning me...) don't have anything more pressing to do of course?" (I didn't!!!) He utterly charmed me and I got the real impression that he enjoyed our interaction. (That isn't always how it works...) xx SF
That sounds amazing. I fear I'd be annoyingly inquisitive if i was in the same situation. I'd just devolve into 4 year questions like favorite color, dinosaur, etc.
Unfortunately Stephen fry is a little bit intellectually dishonest. Which is a pity because I don't dislike him but he plays the game and won't rock the boat with a truth, preferring to instead tell either a lie or by cleverly misleading. I'm sure he is a very nice man who you could easily get along with but he is definitely in "their" pockets. I'm pretty sure he is a mason also. Nevertheless I wish him nothing but the best
Stephen, despite his high intellect, is just the most eloquent and graceful man who condescends none and empowers every person not only in that room but everyone watching or listening to this video
@@livb6945 it’s a good question. Stephen could easily have went down the path of condescendence, pomposity and arrogance but instead clearly is driven to equip others with his knowledge and understanding. Credit to him. We need more people like him.
Gentlemen Fry. You have shared so much enlightenment. I am a WV Coal Miners daughter with little education from great public schools. Always an avid reader, I thank you for validation of my time seeking and for my curiosity ❤️. I was born curious and I seek to quench this thirst. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH
If only we could have World Leaders as intelligent , insightful and as honest as Mr Stephen Fry what a very different world we all would live in Thank You for you xxx
I have never felt a drive to meet any of my heroes or idols, be they musical artists, writers or anything else, but what i wouldn't give to spend an evening sitting down in a couple of comfortable chairs and discussing literally anything with Stephen Fry. In my mind he's one of the few treasures we still have around today.
I fell in love with this man during a dark time in my own mental sanity. Fell in love with his humor, his many contributions to comedy, to art, to language....Literally brought me out of a dark place.
Stephen can transform even the most ordinary and mundane into something dreamy and beautiful ('... how the numbers stand proud of the card' in referring to embossed numbers on credit cards). He is an aural delight and inspires me to expand my mind and vocabulary. What a beautiful soul, and a gem for the ages. 💜
When I was a little girl, we too had a mobile library that came to our village every week. A wonderful idea for philanthropists or anybody with money to get behind, fund, and arrange. So many areas in the world in desperate need of such, even now in 2022. How is that still possible?
The comment from the audience member thanking Stephen for being a huge benefit and role model, I'm sure is not in a minority of one. SF has given pleasure and inspiration to countless people over the years and I think whenever we see him, we imagine him as our friend - even if we have never met him. If one's goal in life is to leave the world in a slightly better state than when we were brought into it, there is no one better to emulate than Stephen Fry.
Stephen Fry really is not only a British national treasure but should be considered "World heritage". As Swedish-German national I am convinced that someone like Stephen can only originate in Britain but should belong to all mankind. I say that without being jealous, but with admiration for the British culture. I would extend that to the Irish culture, since Oscar Wilde is - I can imagine - Stephens alter ego. Having read Oscar's plays and books and marvelled about the language and ideas in the 1990's, I went to cinema to see the movie "Wilde", not knowing Stephen at that time, because he was not very well known in Germany, Sweden or in France, where I lived at that time. Before watching the movie, I was a big admirer of Jude Law (who played Lord Douglas), but when I left the cinema, I was in love with Stephen. I tried to find out more about him and read his books etc., watched his documentaries, and even listend to him reading HP (then I was already in my 40s). Listening to him is addictive - and my husband agrees to this....we are very lucky to be able to, as he mentioned, feel 8 feet tall listening to him. Please continue inviting him - Thank you, Cambridge Union!
@@pseudonayme7717 Thank you - I saw a lot of his QI shows, but still have 'Blackadder' as a treat for the future. I immensely enjoy his conversations in programs such as the Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss, The Munk Debates, or alongside Christopher Hitchens at Intelligence Squared.
Savage opening with that remark on the "Royal" family! Love it. Reminding people of the fact they're Germans that changed their name to an English one.
This man would be a national treasure, despite what he considers the luck of meeting future acting colleagues. His genius would have shone through regardless and his gracefulness would inspire us, as it does today.
He is honest. Esp w himself. Has inspected himself, has self-knowledge Values friends, values friendship Has a poets eye Has a sense of history and timing and proportion
I adore this glorious man. Intelligent, wise, witty, kind and so beloved by many. When my depression is at its worst and all appears grim, I watch Steven Fry and I feel a little more hopeful with the world again. Thank You Steven! 🤗❤
If you get a chance be sure to visit. It's a wonderful place. Start a pen friendship with someone. They'll probably invite you over once you've become friends. Cheers
Very grateful to have this talk available. Thank you all, Cambridge Union. For a bipolar guy, Stephen Fry is far saner than most. A quotation of his that I read a couple decades ago has become like a personal motto: One must be humble before the facts. Fry's mind & life encompass so much of authentic humanity, and as the years go on, he becomes even more compassionate and mellow. He is a magnificent human being. However, for the record, I disagree with him about how his comedy success is mainly down to luck. He seems to have been exceptionally talented from early on, at least from the first season of Jeeves & Wooster. May he live long!
the most wonderful orator I have ever heard, this man personifies what is is to be human, his understanding and usage of language is a joy to behold. The universe is blessed by him.
I’m just incredibly grateful that you didn’t leave us too early, Stephen. Thanks for sticking around . I’ve never met you but I consider you a dear friend
I teared up several times. HE touched my heart with his life experiences and his assessment of reality. MR. FRY, thank you from a skinny little girl from Pigeon Roost Hollar in WV, America.
What a brilliant series, and thank you for sharing this. The insights here are wonderfully diverse and well worth the time. Fry is such a lovely and valuable voice today. Long may we hear him.
Once you have follow Fry for a while you start to hear the same things over and over, but for him they never become boring. Be it the smallest new detail or because of a new word, he as much as Wilde did, brings you up to his level. He never never talks down to anyone, he has the spirit and gift of language, once such as I, could only dream of, because he just speaks to you in a relatable and interesting way, where you are never in doubt what he means or is making fun of. He is just amazing and I always feel as if he is speaking to me.
A beautiful soul and gifted orator. I wish he would take up the story of Alan Turing. We could use Stephens poetically humanistic comment on that great man destroyed by the society he served.
How superior isn't Mr Fry as a speaker when recurrently succeeding to address the audience with humility in a manner that makes each and everyone feel like it's a dialogue one has not only longed for but needed as well.
hehe. We see what you did there😉 Now that he is with beard, I'm going to add Stephen to the list of great atheists who look like God in spite of not believing in him😛
Is it odd that I find myself applauding in front of my computer screen for the young Hungarian woman who started the journey and made it to Cambridge because she read a book by SF.
There is such an incredible strength and warmth and intellect and humour about this man ,talking about my birthplace, Cambridge, where my father died recently,as peacefully as he was able, that for only the second time, for only two minutes, I cried.Stephen Fry, Thankyou so much for your stories and for what you do.You’re amazing!
What special incredible man you are ! I saw you playing Oscar Wilde, you were so brilliant I fell in love with both of you, in fact you became one. Thank you always for your wit, command of our beautiful English language & pure deliciousness......love you dearly. Sheila
What a sweet, kind, determined and learned man, willing to kindly explain whatever he is asked to the best of his ability and share his knowledge with the rest of the world. Thoughtful, extremely talented, humble; human. Thank you for sharing this lecture.
Oh Stephen-were you really in so much pain? I mean, clearly you were-more than we could have ever known, and yet you saw it through. Thank you ever so much for sharing that. I understand a little more now, about how excruciating it must have been for you. Know that learning of it's been a turning point for me.
When I graduated with an MBA in 1986 I took a battery of indicators, including a Myers-Briggs indicator. I registered as a INFP. And I thought, “you mean there’s other people LIKE me?” It was such a revelation!
Wow, Mr Fry what a beautiful ending to such a great conversation you gave in this forum. It almost moved me as much as 'De Profundis' when I first read it in my early 20s.
23:53 a phrase for our times. And it's time the younger generation gave those in charge a damn good kicking for the way they've been treated over the last several years.
@@aclark903 Perhaps, It may also be an age thing, I was born in 91, in my childhood I experienced him in Blackadder, in my teens I saw him on QI, in my early 20's I saw him debating religion alongside Hitchens. And now in my 30's I see him in a world of woke idiots who use their sexuality as their only personality trait, and Stephen's accent has never magically changed to the "gay speak" they for some reason often end up having and his sexuality has never been the defining feature of his character despite the praise and profit that leaning on it would have given him in the modern day. I don't know what your personal opinions on him are, but those above are my reasons for being a fan.
Amazing man, I am of a similar age but a vastly different upbringing, I would so love to be a close friend of this Gentleman, truly I say this, I do love this man and for what he stands for, my hope is he understands how much he his loved and admired from afar.
